When a new day begins

ByCourtney BrownewellNovember 9, 2011

Each morning when I wake up, I find it helpful to establish the truth about my day. Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Monitor, wrote a spiritual description of the word “day” that inspires me. It reads: “The irradiance of Life; light, the spiritual idea of Truth and Love.... The objects of time and sense disappear in the illumination of spiritual understanding, and Mind measures time according to the good that is unfolded. This unfolding is God’s day, and ‘there shall be no night there’ ” (“Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” p. 584).

I love that promise. Today, God’s day, is illumining spiritually all the qualities of Life – activity, timelessness, persistence, and effortlessness. Today is shining Truth – honesty, liberty, accuracy, perfection, and flawlessness. Today is radiating Love – kindness, unselfishness, patience, obedience, and tolerance. God is shining all of these qualities, and as His beloved children, we will naturally experience them.

The grip that time seems to have on our lives doesn’t actually have dominion over us. God gave us dominion – and therefore we have power over time. Psalm 31 says, “My times are in thy hand.” Mrs. Eddy described time as “mortal measurements.” She said that Mind, God, is measuring all the good that is unfolding in our day, spiritually (see Science and Health, p. 595).

When we leave our day and time up to Him, then we will begin to see no limitations and no restriction in achievement. We don’t have to feel rushed to check off a to-do list. We have the time and opportunity to do all that we need to do. Our day is measured not in how productive we are, but by the divine goodness to which we are witnesses.

So how do we guarantee a good day? A morning with a strong foundation is a great way to start. If we expect a negative day, feel rushed to get things done, or feel pressured with too much to do, then it will seem impossible to accomplish what needs to get done. But if we start each day with the expectation that only God’s good will unfold for us, then we will be able to see the infinite ways in which God blesses us. Before the chaos of the day drags you into fear and frustration, you can start your day knowing first that this is God’s day and that there is room in His divine plan for everyone to prosper and succeed.

I’ve found this prayer by Mrs. Eddy a very useful one: “ ‘Thy kingdom come;’ let the reign of divine Truth, Life, and Love be established in me, and rule out of me all sin; and may Thy Word enrich the affections of all mankind, and govern them!” (“Church Manual,” p. 41).

Each morning as I awake, I like to put this prayer into my own words. “Thy kingdom come” means to me that God’s kingdom is here. He is omnipotent, and His spiritual laws are irrevocable and cannot be interfered with.

“Let” means to allow or permit. I’ve found the need to allow and permit the government of divine Truth, Life, and Love – God, and all His infinite qualities of good – to be made evident within me. I need to stay out of governing my day and accept God’s rule, His divine plan.

I also need to allow and permit all sin to be removed from my thought and experience. Sin is anything unlike God. As I pray about my day, I commit to allowing and accepting the removal of all fear, sickness, doubt, and lack of any sort from my life.

God’s Word – the Christ or the divine message communicated in an understandable way – is here today to “enrich the affections.” It’s here to improve or increase our love for Him and for each other.

That prayer has given me, and continues to give me, a wonderful start to my days. To me the spirit of the prayer is captured in the first line of Science and Health: “To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings.”